Every quilter knows the thrill of building a beautiful fabric stash. It happens over time, one fat quarter here, a yard there. Maybe it was a fabric we couldn’t resist, a color that spoke to us, or a print we just knew would be perfect for that “someday” quilt. Over the years, these choices shape a collection that’s as personal as our fingerprints.
I can identify which stash of fabric belongs to each of my friends just by looking at the fabrics in their stash. I bet you could do the same with your quilty friends.
But here’s a truth many of us don’t realize until we pull fabric for a new project: our stash is often heavy on showstoppers and light on support players.
We’re drawn to bold florals, striking geometrics, and eye-catching prints—the “feature fabrics” that make our hearts sing. But when it comes time to build a balanced quilt, we find ourselves short on the blenders and basics that help those beauties shine. Without tonal fabrics, low-volume prints, solids, and complementary colors to do the quiet work, even our favorite prints can feel a little lost in the crowd.
So what can we do? Let’s talk strategy.
1. Take a Fresh Look at Your Stash
Start by organizing your fabrics by color. Lay them out where you can see them all—on a design wall, your cutting table, or even the floor. You’ll likely see patterns emerge: lots of blues and greens, but very little orange or purple. A pile of large-scale prints, but very few small-scale prints. Or perhaps you’ll notice that most of your stash consists of medium value fabrics, but you don’t have much in the way of darks, lights, or neutrals.
This visual inventory is the first step to identifying the gaps in your palette. I did this exercise for myself and sure enough, my stash consisted of piles of yummy feature fabrics in almost every color, with a HEAVY emphasis on Blues, Purples, and Greens. Not an orange or yellow to be found – in any shade. It’s like I’m missing an entire section of the color wheel.
Once your stash is inventoried, take some time to organize it into a storage system that works for you. I use these two books, Organizing Solutions for Every Quilter and Love Your Creative Space, to give me some ideas for organizing not just my stash, but my entire sewing space. Super helpful!
2. Balance Feature Fabrics with Blenders
Blenders are the fabrics that support without stealing the spotlight. Think tone-on-tone prints, subtle textures, small-scale motifs, and solids. They add depth, help with contrast, and keep your quilt from feeling too “busy.” As tempting as it is to pick up one more gorgeous floral, make it a rule to also choose a couple of blenders or basics while you’re at the quilt shop.
3. Don’t Be Afraid of “Unloved” Colors
Every quilter has favorite colors—and colors we tend to avoid. Maybe you never reach for brown, or shy away from orange. But having a few of those less-loved shades in your stash can be a lifesaver. They provide contrast, bring balance, and help harmonize your more saturated or dominant hues. You don’t need yards of them—just a few fat quarters can go a long way.
Adding a complementary color—like a bit of yellow in a mostly purple quilt—is a simple trick that can make your whole quilt feel brighter and more balanced. Yellow and purple are opposites on the color wheel, so they naturally enhance each other when they’re used together. Even a small touch of yellow can make the purple look richer and give your quilt a little extra sparkle. It’s a great way to keep things from looking too flat or heavy, and it adds a nice sense of harmony to your design.
When my shop in Beaverton was open, I spent my days helping customers (maybe you) select both featured and complementary fabrics for quilt projects. One of my favorite things to share was what happens when you take a color most people don’t reach for (in this case, Celadon green) and demonstrate how well it works with almost every other fabric in the store. Here’s an example:
While this isn’t my favorite color on its own, I treasure it for the way it adds vibrance to so many other colors.
4. Keep a Shopping List
Once you’ve identified your gaps, jot them down. Keep a fabric wish list in your wallet or phone so that the next time you’re at a fabric shop or quilt show, you can shop with intention. It’ll help you build a stash that serves you better—one that’s beautiful and balanced.
Take it from me, having that shopping list means that you know exactly what you need and how much you plan to purchase. And … it’s so much fun to have a mission when searching the shelves of your favorite shop.
Another strategy is to cut a small square of each of your favorite feature fabrics (large enough so that you can see all the background colors) and tuck them into a small zip bag. Keep it in your purse or pocket every time you head for the quilt shops. Use those pieces to help you select a series of FQ blenders that highlight your feature fabrics. Look specifically for those blenders that are complementary (on the opposite side of the color wheel) so that the make your feature fabrics sparkle.
5. Make Room for Surprises
Lastly, don’t forget to occasionally buy a fabric that’s a little outside your comfort zone. It could be a color you never use or a print that feels a bit wild. These “stretch” fabrics can often become the spark that ignites a creative breakthrough.
Building a well-rounded stash is part of growing as a quilter. By balancing our favorite fabrics with smart additions, we make it easier to start our next project with confidence and creativity, right from the stash we already own.